6 year old with both right and left handed abilities

Question
Michael, thanks for fielding my question. My 6 year old son has always favored his left hand but writes with his right. Getting into T-ball, I didn't know which glove to buy him so I figured the arm he threw with the best should be his throwing arm. Much to my frustration, I couldn't figure out which arm actually threw better. Finally, we decided to just ask him and he picked his right hand to catch. I bought him the glove and began practice. One day at home, I noticed him throwing with his right hand, and doing it quite well. I asked him if he likes to throw with that hand better and he said "yes". Well, off to the store to buy a left-hand glove. We are now midway into the season and just before a game, he left his left-hand glove at a friends house so we had to take him to the game with his right-hand glove. I thought he'd be terrible but he looked to be at the same skill level on that side even though its been over a month since we practiced it. I know left-handers are valuable in baseball so I am tempted to keep him catching right-handed but it seems I am risking really messing him up. I have heard of people having the same-side dominate eye and if you are throwing with the hand opposite the dominate eye, there may be some difficulties. Do you have any advice for figuring this out?

Answer
Brent,

This is a predicament, but not a bad one.  I knew my son was a lefty when he was still in the crib.  Being a left handed thrower is a benefit, if he is going to pitch.  It will limit you in the field to first base and the outfield.  But OOOHHHH the advantages of being a left handed pitcher.  My son is a freshman and already getting interest from some colleges because of his left handed pitching abilities.

The thing is that you don't know in 3 years if your son will even want to play baseball.  So don't sweat it.  Have him make the choice and then make practice fun.  

I will say this, whether he throws right or left, coaches are always looking for a LH bat in the lineup.  I would teach him to hit lefthanded and let him make the choice as to what he feels comfortable with.  You may make a suggestion as to your preference.

I would think about the type of body and abilities he may have based on you and your wife's.  Will he be bigger, tall, slower running.  That is a left handed 1B/corner outfielder.  Will he be small, fast, quick?  Then you have a right handed SS/2B.  

Just make it fun.

Coach